For the first jazz release on his self-run Aleph label, Schifrin flew to Cologne, Germany to record this solid remake of Gillespiana, his 1960 five-movement concerto for Dizzy Gillespie with which Schifrin had been touring earlier in 1996. Designed to illustrate the sources that inspired Gillespie’s music, the work remains one of the chameleonic Schifrin’s best in a big-band idiom, particularly the dynamic Afro-Cuban-flavored blues “Toccata” that closes the concerto. The choice of Jon Faddis as Gillespie’s stand-in was, of course, a no-brainer, for Faddis is the foremost Gillespie disciple on the scene, and his high-wire performance here captures both the stratospheric Gillespie of his youth and the mellower, slyer, muted Gillespie of later years. Fellow Jazz Meets the Symphony regular Paquito D’Rivera has some hot solo passages on alto; Alex Acuña and Marcio Doctor are given percussion showcases; Schifrin himself remains a persuasive jazz pianist, and Cologne’s WDR Big Band almost matches the electricity that Schifrin’s American bands generated on tour with this piece.
By Richard S. Ginell, All Music Guide.
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Dizzy Gillespie recorded Gillespiana in November 1960. At that time, Lalo Schifrin, a 28-year-old- Argentinean, was his pianist and musical conductor. Gillespie had first heard him in 1956 – he was struck by Schifrin’s writing and asked the young musician to compose something for him. This was the start of Gillespiana, which was described in the original album notes as a “suite form [in a] concerto grosso format”.
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Bass- Art Davis
Bongos- Jack Del Rio
Congas- Candido
Drums- Chuck Lampkin
Horns- Al Richman* , Gunther Schuller , James Buffington* , Julius Watkins , Morris Secon , William Lister
Piano- Lalo Schifrin,Arrange
Saxophone- Leo Wright
Timbales, Timpani- Willie Rodriguez
Trombone- Britt Woodman , Frank Rehak , Paul Faulise , Urbie Green
Trumpet- Clark Terry , Dizzy Gillespie , Ernie Royal , Joe Wilder , John Frosk
Tuba- Don Butterfield
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A1. Prelude 5:52
A2. Blues 11:16
A3. Panamericana 4:39
B1. Africana 7:31
B2. Toccata 12:01
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This CD is a straight reissue of a Pablo LP. Norman Granz teamed together the very distinctive trumpeters Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard and Clark Terry with pianist Oscar Peterson, guitarist Joe Pass, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Bobby Durham for a “Trumpet Summit.” This particular release features (with one exception) unissued material from the session. There are four versions of a slow blues (only the fourth was released before), all of which have very different solos from the three trumpeters. In addition they interact on “Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams” and share the spotlight on a three-song ballad medley; Hubbard’s “Here’s That Rainy Day” is hard to beat. This release is not quite essential but fans of the trumpeters will want to pick it up.”
By Scott Yanow. AMG.
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Dizzy Gillespie- Trumpet;
Freddie Hubbard- Trumpet,Flugelhorn;
Clark Terry- Trumpet,Flugelhorn;
Oscar Peterson- (Piano);
Joe Pass- (Guitar);
Ray Brown- (Bass);
Bobby Durham- (Drums).
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01. Alternate One 5:28
02. Alternate Two 8:00
03. Alternate Three 9:01
04. Alternate Four 9:33
05. Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams 8:51
06. Ballad Medley: Here’s That Rainy Day,Gypsy, If I Should Lose You 7:39
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